Spring-hinge for doors.



E. 0. SGRUGGS. SPRING HINGE FOR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 1, 1908.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

EDWARD O. SCRUGGS, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

SPRING-HINGE FOR DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

Application filed October 1, 1908. Serial N 0. 455,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. sources, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Hinges forDoors, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a spring hinge for doors theseveral parts of which are constructed and arranged to permit the doorto be opened in either direction and returned to a closed or normalposition by a spring actuated movement occasioned by the tension placedupon concealed springs.

The invention comprises essentially co operating stationary and movablehinge sections located upon the door frame and door and a concealedspring connection between the hinge sections whereby the door ispermitted to swing in either direction and return automatically to aclosed position. The concealed arrangement of the spring and cooperatinghinge sections is desirable in that the appearance of the door and frameis improved and the springs rendered less liable to injury.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the meansfor effecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a doorand door frame illustrating thearrangement of the hinge plates and springs; Fig. 2 illustrates indetail the hinge plates and springs attached; Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectional view on the line 33 of- Fig. 4C; and Fig. i is a verticalsectional view through the hinge plates at the lower edge of the door.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin descriptionand indicated in all the views the drawings by the same referencecharacters.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a door and 2 theframe to which the door is hinged. The door is provided withlongitudinal openings 3 extending parallel with the rear edge andadapted to contain torsional spring rods 4 the ends of which are angularor otherwise formed to prevent independent movement when occupyingpositions within similarly formed openings in suitably located socketsections.

The longitudinal openings 3 are intersected by larger openings orrecesses 5 formed in the rear edge of the door'a'nd designed to receivelateral projections 6 on the rod retaining brackets 7, said projectionsbeing provided with angular openings 8 in which the inner ends of therespective spring rods are secured.

To provide a convenient method of hanging the door and adjusting theupper spring rod in position after the door is hung, one of the recesses5 is formed to permit the projection 6 to slide vertically therein andthe projection brought into or out of engagement with the end of the rod4c. The brackets 7 are set in flush with the edge of the door andsecured as by screws, and a smaller plate 9 is employed to occupy theextension in the groove in which the upper plate slides when theprojection 6 on said plate is secured to the end of the upper springrod.

The numeral 10 designates a hinge plate embedded and secured in theupper edge of the door at the rear corner and pivotally connected to asimilar hinge plate 11 correspondingly located and embedded in thelintel of the frame 2. The plate 10 is provided with a pintle 12 whichis arranged to extend through an opening 13 in the plate 11, theextremity of said pintle operating in a socket 14 formed in the block ortop plate 15. These plates 10 andll in connection with the block 15having therein the socket or pintle 12 give an enlarged bearing surfacebetween the door and the upper end of the frame, this bearing surfacebeing enlarged and having two opposed metallic faces and a pintle 12projecting up into the block 14 acts to prevent wear between the pintleand the door frame and between the contacting faces of the door, whichwould be liable to be the case were the pintle 12 simply a tubularmember inserted in the rear edge of the door and extending up into asocket formed in the door frame. Inasmuch as the plate 11 is detachablefrom the block 15 and is independent of it, the pintle may be replacedwhen worn without removing the block 15 against which no wear comes.This block being inserted deeper into the wood of the frame and being ofsmaller dimensions than the plate llismore securely held within theframe and with less liability of its being thrown out or being brokenaway from the frame than if-merely held there by screws. The said block15 is embedded in the frame above the plate i and is provided with an anular opening 16 extending transversely of the block 15 from the centerof the socket opening 1%, designed to receive the similarly formed endof the spring rod 4 and prevent independent movement of said rod at itsupper end. The plate 10 is provided with a circular opening 17 extendingthrough the pintle 12,'and the body portion of the rod 4 adjacent to theangular end extends through the plate and pintle within said opening.

The numeral 1-8 designates a hinge plate embedded in and secured to thedoor in its lower edge at the rear corner and pivotally connected to ahinge plate 19 correspondinglylocated and embedded in the sill or carpetstrip 20. The plate 18 is formed with an angular extension or arm 21adapt ed to be secured to the rear edge of the door and an elongatedthickened portion '22 is formed parallel with the plate from the pointof the angle of said plate and arm.

A pintle 23 on the plate 19 extends through an opening in the plate 18'and thickened portion 22 as shown at 24; (Fig. 4c), and said plate 19 isformed with an opening 25 extending through the pintle and through whichthe body portion of the lower spring P protrudes. The extreme lowerportion of the opening 25 is of angular formation and. adapted toreceive and retain the angular end of the spring rod and pre: ventindependent movement of said rod. The hinge plate 19 is preferablyformed with a raised annular portion 26 on its ex posed side to providea suitable sliding or abutting surface for the plate 18, and on itslower or concealed side with a similar projection 27 in which the lowerangular end of the spring rod 4: extends.

With the arrangement of the cooperating hinge sections as shown thespring'rods 4t.

angular ends by brackets 7 embedded in the suitably located openings inthe coiiperating and whereby allparts are protected, the ap pearance ofthe door vastly improved and a p rfect opera io insured.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as-new is:

1. The combination with a door and its frame, of hinges connecting saiddoor to the frame, one of said hinges comprising a hinge plate securedto said door at one end and formed with a pintle having an apertureextending through its center, a hinge plate secured to the door frameand provided with a circular opening through which said pintle extends,a torsional spring rod secured with-' in the door and extending at oneend through said apertured pintle, and through the hinge plate, means inthe door frame for rigidly engaging the end of thetorsional spring, anda bracket secured to the rear edge of the door, having a prO ectmgportion extending inwardly into the door opening, said opening throughwhich said apertured lug extends, a block located in said'frame andadapted to rest upon said last named hinge plate and provided with asocket in which the extremity of said apertured lug extends and alsoprovided with an angular transverse opening extending through the blockfrom the center of said socket, a torsional spring rod provided with anangular end portion secured within the angular opening in said block toprevent independent movc- Z ment of the rod in the frame, said rodextending through the aperture in said 111,: and 4 are concealed withinthe door and are secured thereto at their inwardly projecting into thebody of the 1 door, and means for fixedly connecting the other end ofsaid rod 1 to the door. rear edge of the door and intersecting the lopenings in which the rods extend. The op- I and pivotally connectedhinge plates and are secured in sockets located in the upper and lowerdoor frame sections defining the door opening. As will be understood thedoor is permitted to swing in either direction and upon release willbereturned to a closed or normal position by the torsional strain placedupon the rods 4: and 4 consequent upon movement of the door.

Particular attention is directed to the manner in which the coiiperatinghinge and spring retaining sections are partially or completelyconcealed in their respective movable and stationary sections of thedoor 3. The combination with a door and its frame, of hinges connectingsaid door and frame one of said hinges comprising a hinge plate securedto the frame and provided with a pint-1e and also provided withtransverse thickened portions said pintle having an aperture extendingtherethrough and of an gular formation in said plate, a hinge platesecured to the door at one end and formed with an arm designed to extendover the cortorsional s rin rod rovided with an ann'u lar end portionsecured within the angular aperture in the first named hinge plate toprevent independent movement of the rod,

said rod extending through the aperture in said pintle into the body ofthe door, and means for fixedly connecting the upper end of said rod tothe door.

l. The combination with a door having a longitudinal recess formed onits inner edge, opposed brackets extending into said recess and having amany sided aperture therethrough, and torsional rods the ends of whichare received Within the bracket opening, of a plate secured to each endof the door and having a projecting circular pintle formed thereon, saidpintle being tubular, plates secured to the opposite ends of the doorcasing having each a circular opening 15 gular extension into which theupper end of 20 the torsional spring is received.

In testimony whereof I aifiX mysignature 1n presence of tWo vvltnesses.

111 EDWARD 0. scm1ces [1,. 8-]

mar Witnesses:

W. B. BALLARD, T. F. HILL.

